Holiday Plan: The Pyrenees

The Pyrenees

Sunset at Refuge d'Ayous (July 2012)

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Date	Daytime		Overnight	Alternatives/Notes
Day 1 Sun 1 July	11:15 Manchester flight KL1082 arr. Amsterdam 13:35 14:55 flight AF5248 arr. Pau 17:15 Bus or taxi to station 19:00 train arr. Oloron Ste Marie 19:37		Hotel de la Paix ** +33 5 59 39 02 63 Opposite the station	Flight refs GBBLZJ, 3HHTDB
Day 2 Mon 2 July	8:15 bus [timetable] arr. Etsaut (597m) 9:03 Walk 5 hrs on GR10 via Col d'Ayous (2185m) to Refuge d'Ayous (1960m).	↑1590 ↓220	Refuge d'Ayous (PNdP) +33 5 59 05 37 00	Shorter route: Stay on bus until Col de Somport (1631m) and walk ~3 hrs via Col des Moines (2168m) to the Refuge d'Ayous. Optional peak Pic d'Ayous (2228m) about 35 mins return from the col.
Day 3 Tue 3 July	Walk 4½ hrs on HRP via unnamed pass (~2100m) and Col de Peyreget (2300m) to Refuge de Pombie (2032m).	↑650 ↓600	Refuge de Pombie (CAF) +33 5 59 05 31 78	Variant R at Lac de Peyreget via Col de l'Iou (2194m) avoids "perhaps slightly unpleasant" (scree?) climb to Col de Peyreget.
Day 4 Wed 4 July	Walk 5 hrs on HRP via road crossing (1350m) and Col d'Arrious (2259m) to Refuge d'Arrémoulit (2305m).	↑1000 ↓700	Refuge d'Arrémoulit (CAF) +33 5 59 05 31 79	Variant L at Col d'Arrious via path junction (2090m) avoids Passage d'Orteig (protected path), +½ hr.
Day 5 Thu 5 July	Walk 3½ hrs on HRP variant via Col d'Arrémoulit (2448m) into Spain and Refugio de Respomuso (2200m).	↑250 ↓350	Refugio de Respomuso (FAM) +34 974 33 75 56	Optional peak Pic d'Arriel (2824m) about 1 hr return from the col.
Day 6 Fri 6 July	Walk 4¼ hrs on HRP (snow, scree) via Col de la Fache (2664m) back into France and Refuge Wallon (1866m).	↑450 ↓800	Refuge Wallon (CAF) +33 5 62 92 64 28	Optional peak Grande Fache (3005m) about 1½ hrs return from the col, "steep but not difficult", some easy scrambling.
Day 7 Sat 7 July	Walk 5 hrs on HRP via Col d'Aratille (2528m) and Col des Mulets (2591m) to Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube (2151m).	↑700 ↓500	Refuge des Oulètes de Gaube (CAF) +33 5 62 92 62 97	In Spain between the cols.
Day 8 Sun 8 July	Walk 2½ hours on GR10/HRP via Hourquette d'Ossoue (2734m) to Refuge de Bayssellance (2651m).	↑600 ↓100	Refuge de Bayssellance (CAF) +33 5 62 92 40 25	Optional peak Petit Vignemale (3032m) about 1½ hrs return from the col.
Day 9 Mon 9 July	Walk ~5 hrs via Barrage d'Ossoue (1834m) and Puerto de Bernatuero (2336m) into Spain and to San Nicolás de Bujaruelo (~1300m).	↑500 ↓1800	Refugio de Bujaruelo (FAM) +34 974 486 412
Day 10 Tue 10 Jul	Walk ~3 hrs on various roadside paths (GR11, GR15) (11km) to Torla (~1000m).	↑150 ↓450	Hotel Villa Russell +34 974 486 770
Day 11 Wed 11 July	Shuttle bus to la Pradera (1300m) Walk ~5 hrs via Mirador de Carcillarruego (~1900m), Faja de Pelay, and Rincón de Soaso (~1750m) to Refugio de Goríz (2200m).	↑1050 ↓150	Refugio de Goríz (FAM) +34 974 341 201	Alternative is the valley route (GR11) 3½ hrs.
Day 12 Thu 12 July	Walk 3½ hrs via Brèche de Roland (2807m) into France and Refuge des Sarradets (2587m).	↑600 ↓200	Refuge des Sarradets (CAF) +33 6 83 38 13 24	Optional peak Pic du Taillon (3144m) about 2hrs return from the brèche.
Day 13 Fri 13 July	Walk 3½ hrs via l'Échelle des Sarradets and Cirque de Gavarnie to Gavarnie (1365m). 16:15 bus [timetable] arr. Luz-St-Saveur 17:00 17:55 bus [timetable] arr. Pierrefitte Nestalasto 18:15 18:20 bus arr. Lourdes 18:55.	↑0 ↓1200	Grand Hotel Moderne **** 21 Avenue Bernadette Soubirous + 33 5 62 94 12 32	Also buses at 11:25, 18:10. Collect next day's train tickets at station.
Day 14 Sat 14 July	11:42 TGV arr. Pau 12:07 Bus or taxi to airport 16:10 flight AF7777 arr. Paris CDG 17:40 18:25 flight AF1168 arr. Manchester 18:55

Date

Daytime

Overnight

Alternatives/Notes

Day 1
Sun 1 July

11:15 Manchester flight KL1082 arr. Amsterdam 13:35
14:55 flight AF5248 arr. Pau 17:15
Bus or taxi to station
19:00 train arr. Oloron Ste Marie 19:37

Hotel de la Paix **
+33 5 59 39 02 63
Opposite the station

Flight refs GBBLZJ, 3HHTDB

Day 2
Mon 2 July

8:15 bus [timetable] arr. Etsaut (597m) 9:03
Walk 5 hrs on GR10 via Col d'Ayous (2185m) to Refuge d'Ayous (1960m).

↑1590

↓220

Refuge d'Ayous (PNdP)
+33 5 59 05 37 00

Shorter route: Stay on bus until Col de Somport (1631m) and walk ~3 hrs via Col des Moines (2168m) to the Refuge d'Ayous.
Optional peak Pic d'Ayous (2228m) about 35 mins return from the col.

Day 3
Tue 3 July

Walk 4½ hrs on HRP via unnamed pass (~2100m) and Col de Peyreget (2300m) to Refuge de Pombie (2032m).

↑650

↓600

Refuge de Pombie (CAF)
+33 5 59 05 31 78

Variant R at Lac de Peyreget via Col de l'Iou (2194m) avoids "perhaps slightly unpleasant" (scree?) climb to Col de Peyreget.

Day 4
Wed 4 July

Walk 5 hrs on HRP via road crossing (1350m) and Col d'Arrious (2259m) to Refuge d'Arrémoulit (2305m).

↑1000

↓700

Refuge d'Arrémoulit (CAF)
+33 5 59 05 31 79

Variant L at Col d'Arrious via path junction (2090m) avoids Passage d'Orteig (protected path), +½ hr.

Day 5
Thu 5 July

Walk 3½ hrs on HRP variant via Col d'Arrémoulit (2448m) into Spain and Refugio de Respomuso (2200m).

↑250

↓350

Refugio de Respomuso (FAM)
+34 974 33 75 56

Optional peak Pic d'Arriel (2824m) about 1 hr return from the col.

Day 6
Fri 6 July

Walk 4¼ hrs on HRP (snow, scree) via Col de la Fache (2664m) back into France and Refuge Wallon (1866m).

↑450

↓800

Refuge Wallon (CAF)
+33 5 62 92 64 28

Optional peak Grande Fache (3005m) about 1½ hrs return from the col, "steep but not difficult", some easy scrambling.

Day 7
Sat 7 July

Walk 5 hrs on HRP via Col d'Aratille (2528m) and Col des Mulets (2591m) to Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube (2151m).

↑700

↓500

Refuge des Oulètes de Gaube (CAF)
+33 5 62 92 62 97

In Spain between the cols.

Day 8
Sun 8 July

Walk 2½ hours on GR10/HRP via Hourquette d'Ossoue (2734m) to Refuge de Bayssellance (2651m).

↑600

↓100

Refuge de Bayssellance (CAF)
+33 5 62 92 40 25

Optional peak Petit Vignemale (3032m) about 1½ hrs return from the col.

Day 9
Mon 9 July

Walk ~5 hrs via Barrage d'Ossoue (1834m) and Puerto de Bernatuero (2336m) into Spain and to San Nicolás de Bujaruelo (~1300m).

↑500

↓1800

Refugio de Bujaruelo (FAM)
+34 974 486 412

Day 10
Tue 10 Jul

Walk ~3 hrs on various roadside paths (GR11, GR15) (11km) to Torla (~1000m).

↑150

↓450

Hotel Villa Russell
+34 974 486 770

Day 11
Wed 11 July

Shuttle bus to la Pradera (1300m)
Walk ~5 hrs via Mirador de Carcillarruego (~1900m), Faja de Pelay, and Rincón de Soaso (~1750m) to Refugio de Goríz (2200m).

↑1050

↓150

Refugio de Goríz (FAM)
+34 974 341 201

Alternative is the valley route (GR11) 3½ hrs.

Day 12
Thu 12 July

Walk 3½ hrs via Brèche de Roland (2807m) into France and Refuge des Sarradets (2587m).

↑600

↓200

Refuge des Sarradets (CAF)
+33 6 83 38 13 24

Optional peak Pic du Taillon (3144m) about 2hrs return from the brèche.

Day 13
Fri 13 July

Walk 3½ hrs via l'Échelle des Sarradets and Cirque de Gavarnie to Gavarnie (1365m).

16:15 bus [timetable] arr. Luz-St-Saveur 17:00
17:55 bus [timetable] arr. Pierrefitte Nestalasto 18:15
18:20 bus arr. Lourdes 18:55.

↑0

↓1200

Grand Hotel Moderne ****
21 Avenue Bernadette Soubirous
+ 33 5 62 94 12 32

Also buses at 11:25, 18:10.

Collect next day's train tickets at station.

Day 14
Sat 14 July

11:42 TGV arr. Pau 12:07
Bus or taxi to airport
16:10 flight AF7777 arr. Paris CDG 17:40
18:25 flight AF1168 arr. Manchester 18:55

Descending into the Cirque de Gavarnie (July 2012)